A semi-scholarly approach to sex.

Long before air conditioning, Persian architects found an ingenious way to cool off.

This ancient fortress in Iran was once the oldest and largest treasury in the world.

A historic trade hub teeming with gorgeous architecture, colorful goods, and vibrant designs.

The tower in this 1,000-year-old mud-brick village seems to vibrate for no apparent reason.

Marked by the hand of the explorer Henry Morton Stanley.

These little castles each held thousands of pigeons.

This ancient burial site is believed to be one of the first earthquake-protected structures in the world.

17th century mosque for Shah Abbas' harem.

The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings.

Ancient structures used to make and preserve ice in the deserts of Persia.

Putrefaction plateaus in Iran, where the dead were sent for decontamination before going to their final resting place.

The palace of the King of Kings, burned by Alexander the Great.

Named after a legendary garden called Eram in southern Arabia, built by order of Shaddad, an Arab king who wanted to compete with Paradise.

A dreamy mausoleum honors Persia's most famous poet.

A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.

Mirrors and glass shards cover every inch of this arrestingly beautiful mosque.